The Hauraki Gulf is at its most alluring - glassy calm and sparkling blue in the sunlight - and thousands of Aucklanders in small boats hover above the fishing reefs.

Wayne August appeared to be drunk when he walked into the surf at New Brighton beach wearing long pants and a T-shirt.

The discovery of Jarod Lineses three kilometres north of Hukatere brings to end a five-day vigil by his family after he was dragged out to sea.

A shark hooked by a fisherman that "tail-walked" before breaking free may well have been a great white, a passing charter skipper says.

A former South Auckland man has described watching his friend escape from the jaws of a great white shark while surfing in California.

Family tells how their holiday sightseeing trip turned into rescue operation after spotting stricken men in the water: "You just think about trying to find the next person."

A body recovery operation for a 16-year-old boy who was swept out to sea in Northland on Saturday afternoon is being launched today.

Police have named three people who have died in water-related accidents so far this holiday season.

Family members of a missing teenager were keeping an emotional vigil on a Northland beach last night - the latest incident in a horror start to the holiday season in the water.

The woman, in her 20s, fell down a steep cliff and into the river below, striking her head on the way down.

As thousands of holidaymakers get set to hit the beach and boaties prepare to launch, warnings are being issued about staying safe.

The Auckland Regional Public Health Service (ARPHS) says people should keep in mind a few safety tips to ensure they and their families get through the summer injury-free.

The search for a Warkworth fisherman who has been missing for more than a week is continuing.

As inaugural Safer Boating Week kicks off, boaties are being reminded how quickly things could go wrong.

As thousands of Kiwis prepare their boats to make a splash over summer, fishing expert Nicky Sinden has urged boaties to ensure their journeys don't sink before their vessels even hit the water.

The surf club guarding one of the country's most dangerous rip-torn beaches says it is losing efficiency and members.

Auckland Council's new rule on wearing lifejackets in small boats kicks in at Labour Weekend but needs a law change before it can be enforced with the issuing of tickets.

The Ice Water Challenge, where participants are doused with a bucket of ice cold water, is potentially fatal - even without alcohol, a doctor warns.

Surf lifesavers carried out nearly 40 per cent fewer rescues over summer compared with the year before, a figure attributed to unpredictable weather.

A baby critically injured in a crash near Kopaki, Waikato, this morning was unrestrained on its mother's lap when the car hit a bank.